Thursday, January 31, 2013

Silas

January 31, 2013. My baby nephew's birthday. It has been a fabulous day.

For those of you that don't know my brother and sister-in-law's background, this was their third pregnancy. The first two ended with stillbirths. One at 22 weeks, one around 28 weeks. 

Both boys. 
Two funerals. 
Two teeny tiny caskets. 
The awful, gut-wrenching sound of a mother wailing next to her baby's grave. 

I'm sitting here crying thinking back on it.

Six months after they lost their first, they adopted a precious girl, Grace. Ten months after they lost their second, they adopted an adorable boy, Zeb. It has been such an emotional ride. They found out they were unexpectedly expecting baby #3 (or 5, depending on how you're counting!) the week before Charlie was born. Everyone was pretty shocked. And scared. And excited. Their doctor said that they would deliver at 28 weeks, regardless of the health of the baby, just to make sure. Everything was going so well that they decided to wait until 30 weeks, January 31.

Silas Bennett Lorntson was born today at 2:48 pm. 3 lbs, 6 oz, 18 inches long. Pink, squirmy, squeaking, breathing. So. Stinking. Awesome. I got to see Seth and Sonya today (and Silas!) at the hospital, and they are all doing well. I can't begin to imagine what they are feeling tonight. The last time I was on that floor, it was so very, very different. It will be a long road, as they have many days ahead in the NICU, but we are all praising God for this precious gift!